AfriForum blames Ramaphosa for US tariffs on South African exports
Lobby group AfriForum said President Cyril Ramaphosa and the ANC-led Government of National Unity (GNU) are directly responsible for the 30% tariff that US President Donald Trump announced on imports from South Africa.
The organisation maintains that Ramaphosa and his government falsely dismissed US concerns as misinformation instead of acknowledging and actively working to resolve them.
According to AfriForum, the country is now reaping the bitter consequences of the government’s failure to act.
The tariff, which takes effect from August 1, was suspended for 90 days to allow for negotiations.
However, AfriForum head of public relations Ernst van Zyl, said Ramaphosa’s government “wasted the 90-day grace period and made no progress in resolving the diplomatic crisis with the Trump administration.”
“The civil rights organisation further maintains that those who helped promote the ANC’s false narrative and dismissed the highlighting of critical issues in US and South Africa relations as the spread of ‘misinformation’ are also complicit in this crisis,” Van Zyl said.
The letter, dated July 7 and sent on official White House stationery, accuses South Africa of maintaining long-standing trade barriers and contributing to what Trump described as “unsustainable trade deficits against the United States.”
The blanket tariffs will apply to all South African products entering the US and will be implemented outside of any current trade agreements.
The announcement follows a wave of similar tariffs imposed on more than a dozen countries in recent weeks, with South Africa among the hardest hit.
Van Zyl said AfriForum has repeatedly offered ways for the government to address the issues at the heart of the crisis.
“Instead of cooperating, the government made unfounded allegations against AfriForum and claimed the organization was guilty of spreading misinformation,” he said.
“A desperate investigation for treason has even been launched against AfriForum – all for the ‘crime’ of pointing out the real issues.”
Van Zyl said that since the beginning of the diplomatic fallout, AfriForum has remained committed to finding solutions, but “addressing these issues will require humility from the ANC-led government and an immediate end to its current approach of denialism.”
“All is not lost, and AfriForum remains committed to helping find a workable solution and will continue to offer assistance to those willing to put the country’s interests above party interests,” he said.
Van Zyl said the Trump administration gave South Africa and other countries 90 days to resolve the concerns raised.
“While countries like China, Vietnam and the United Kingdom engaged in talks and secured favorable trade deals, South Africa “adopted an ostrich approach, simply ignoring the issues in the hope they would resolve themselves,” he said.
Van Zyl said ignorance is no excuse.
He said the Trump administration recently reiterated its conditions for restoring diplomatic relations with South Africa in a meeting with an Afrikaner delegation at the White House.
The conditions include prioritising alleged farm attacks and murders as serious crimes, a clear, unconditional condemnation of the “Kill the Boer” chant by Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema, no land expropriation without fair, market-related compensation and exemptions for US institutions from all race-based legislation, including Black Economic Empowerment policies.
Van Zyl said the problems were “not insurmountable” and that the solutions proposed by the Trump administration were “fair, sensible and easily implementable by any government that does not pursue an extremist ideology.”
Meanwhile, Democratic Alliance leader and Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen said he is deeply concerned about the economic impact of Trump’s tariff decision, which could effectively signal the end of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
The AGOA provides South Africa duty-free access to the US for more than 6,000 products, including goods in the automotive, agricultural and textile sectors.
“The Democratic Alliance stands in solidarity with every South African business, entrepreneur, farmer, manufacturer, miner and all others who export goods and produce to the United States, who are confronting this news with worry and uncertainty,” Steenhuisen said.
“South Africa has one of the highest unemployment rates in the world,” he said. “Thousands of farmers, manufacturers and workers’ jobs are now at risk. Billions of rands will be lost in export revenue, making this a crippling blow to the economy.”
“Now, more than ever, the ANC needs to accept the fact that South Africa is in need of urgent reforms that will bring about increased economic growth and cushion the job losses that will no doubt follow yesterday’s announcement by the US President,” he said.
simon.majadibodu@iol.co.za
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